Prof. Dave Donaldson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology): "How important is Home-Market Size for Research in the Pharmaceutical Industry, and beyond?"

The talk is part of the lecture series "Innovation in the Global Economy" organised by the Center for International Economics and Business of the University of Basel and hosted by Rolf Weder, Professor of International Trade and European Integration at the Faculty of Economics and the Institute for European Global Studies.

Switzerland is one of the leading locations for research and innovation particularly, but not only, in the pharmaceutical industry. This lecture focuses on the importance of domestic demand and, more specifically, on homemarket size in shaping the pattern of successful research and thus international trade within industries. It turns out that home-market size is important, even in a small country such as Switzerland. Prof. Dave Donaldson recently published a paper with the provocative title “The more we die, the more we sell?” (Quarterly Journal of Economics) which explores the relationship between home-market size and exports. His findings together with co-authors will serve as a basis for the discussion of whether and in which way the home market is important for research in the pharmaceutical industry, but also in other industries. This has implications for economic policy-making.

Program:

18:15  Welcome and Introduction

18.20 Speaker
          Prof. Dave Donaldson

19.05  Discussion
           Prof. Dave Donaldson, Dr. René P. Buholzer, Prof. Rolf Weder and Audience

Please register here: https://forms.gle/qNGs2A8u9UB8CrgAA 

Prof. Dave Donaldson / Speaker
Class of 1949 Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge (USA). He teaches and carries out research on trade, both international and intranational, with applications in the fields of International Economics, Development Economics, Economic History, Environmental Economics, Urban Economics, and Agricultural Economics. He has studied, among other topics: the welfare and inequality effects of market integration, the impact of improvements in transportation infrastructure, and how trade can mitigate and exacerbate the effects of climate change. This work was awarded the 2017 John Bates Clark Medal, given by the American Economic Association to the US-based economist “under the age of forty who is judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge”, as well as an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship and several grants from the National Science Foundation.

Dr. René P. Buholzer / Guest on the Panel
CEO of Interpharma in Basel. Interpharma is the association of Switzerland’s research-based pharmaceutical industry.

Prof. Rolf Weder / Host
Professor of International Trade and European Integration at the University of Basel. His research focuses on the effects of globalization on countries, industries, firms, the distribution of income and the environment.

Lecture Series on Innovation in the Global Economy
The Lecture Series provides a platform for renowned researchers in Business and Economics to present their research results and thoughts on “Innovation in the Global Economy” to a broad audience. The events tackle the challenges of globalization and new technologies for society, policy makers and companies. They also focus on the determinants of innovation in open economies. The discussion plays an important role in the Lecture Series. This event is also part of the “Globalization-Talks” of the lecture “Globalisierung und Europäische Integration” (HS 2023) by Prof. Rolf Weder.

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